Every year, new drivers are released with catchy advertising promising more yards and better forgiveness. We decided to do a test at Dallas Golf to see if golf driver technology has really changed in the past 15 years. So we took the TaylorMade R580 which was one of the most popular drivers in the 90s and had it face off against the 2018 TaylorMade M4. Both drivers were equipped with the stock 60 gram stiff shaft. The test featured a scratch handicapper and a 25 handicapper. Each golfer hit 3 shots with both drivers. Here were the results!

Scratch Handicapper Results

The data above is from Brady who is our director of clubfitting at Dallas Golf. He is also a scratch golfer. You can see that there was an increase in both ball speed and distance with the new 18 TaylorMade M4. Ball speeds were up an avg of 4 mph and total distance saw an avg increase of 9 yards. Backspin was reduced from an average of 3,179 rpm with the R580 down to only 2,994 rpm with the M4.

25 Handicapper Results

Now, lets take a look at the results from the 25 handicapper. Even though there was only an average of 1 mph difference in ball speeds, backspin and total yardages were very different between the 2 drivers. The R580 had a backspin avg of 4,802 rpm while the M4 backspin avg dropped significantly down to 2,586 rpm. This lead to a increase of over 22 yards with the M4!

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. Both of the TaylorMade drivers are marketed toward golfers looking for maximum forgiveness and lower spin rates. The results show that the M4 is both more forgiving and a better spin killer than the R580.
2. We were not surprised that the higher handicapper benefited more from the technological advancements in drivers. To start, the R580 driver head is only 400 cc vs the now standard 460cc on the M4. The twist face also helps manage the misses better. Also, a scratch handicapper is going to hit the center of the clubface more consistently than a 25 handicapper so the dispersion is tighter.
3. Even though driver technology has improved greatly in the last 15 years, it is very important to get custom fitted vs buying it off the rack. Both testers could have benefited from a custom shaft. Brady normally plays a HZRDUS Black which is a shaft that creates lower spin and launch than the stock shafts used in testing. With the right shaft, he should see an increase in total yardage. The 25 handicapper should also see a yardage gain if he was fit properly.
4. Don't forget to comment on what you think about the the M4 vs R580 test! Let us know if you have any other clubs you want to see compared.